Of the Jealousy of Trade
by David Hume
Having endeavoured to remove one species of ill-founded jealousy,
which is so prevalent among commercial nations, it may not be
amiss to mention another, which seems equally groundless. Nothing
is more usual, among states which have made some advances in
commerce, than to look on the progress of their neighbours with a
suspicious eye, to consider all trading states as their rivals,
and to suppose that it is impossible for any of them to flourish,
but at their expence. In opposition to this narrow and malignant
opinion, I will venture to assert, that the encrease of riches
and commerce in any one nation, instead of hurting, commonly
promotes the riches and commerce of all its neighbours; and that
a state can scarcely carry its trade and industry very far, where
all the surrounding states are buried in ignorance, sloth, and
barbarism.
It is obvious, that the domestic industry of a people cannot
be hurt by the greatest prosperity of their neighbours; and as
this branch of commerce is undoubtedly the most important in any
extensive kingdom, we are so far removed from all reason of
jealousy. But I go farther, and observe, that where an open
communication is preserved among nations, it is impossible but
the domestic industry of every one must receive an encrease from
the improvements of the others. Compare the situation of GREAT
BRITAIN at present, with what it was two centuries ago. All the
arts both of agriculture and manufactures were then extremely
rude and imperfect. Every improvement, which we have since made,
has arisen from our imitation of foreigners; and we ought so far
to esteem it happy, that they had previously made advances in
arts and ingenuity. But this intercourse is still upheld to our
great advantage: Notwithstanding the advanced state of our
manufactures, we daily adopt, in every art, the inventions and
improvements of our neighbours. The commodity is first imported
from abroad, to our great discontent, while we imagine that it
drains us of our money: Afterwards, the art itself is gradually
imported, to our visible advantage: Yet we continue still to
repine, that our neighbours should possess any art, industry, and
invention; forgetting that, had they not first instructed us, we
should have been at present barbarians; and did they not still
continue their instructions, the arts must fall into a state of
languor, and lose that emulation and novelty, which contribute so
much to their advancement.
The encrease of domestic industry lays the foundation of
foreign commerce. Where a great number of commodities are raised
and perfected for the home-market, there will always be found
some which can be exported with advantage. But if our neighbours
have no art or cultivation, they cannot take them; because they
will have nothing to give in exchange. In this respect, states
are in the same condition as individuals. A single man can
scarcely be industrious, where all his fellow-citizens are idle.
The riches of the several members of a community contribute to
encrease my riches, whatever profession I may follow. They
consume the produce of my industry, and afford me the produce of
theirs in return.
Nor needs any state entertain apprehensions, that their
neighbours will improve to such a degree in every art and
manufacture, as to have no demand from them. Nature, by giving a
diversity of geniuses, climates, and soils, to different nations,
has secured their mutual intercourse and commerce, as long as
they all remain industrious and civilized. Nay, the more the arts
encrease in any state, the more will be its demands from its
industrious neighbours. The inhabitants, having become opulent
and skilful, desire to have every commodity in the utmost
perfection; and as they have plenty of commodities to give in
exchange, they make large importations from every foreign
country. The industry of the nations, from whom they import,
receives encouragement: Their own is also encreased, by the sale
of the commodities which they give in exchange.
But what if a nation has any staple commodity, such as the
woollen manufacture is in ENGLAND? Must not the interfering of
our neighbours in that manufacture be a loss to us? I answer,
that, when any commodity is denominated the staple of a kingdom,
it is supposed that this kingdom has some peculiar and natural
advantages for raising the commodity; and if, notwithstanding
these advantages, they lose such a manufacture, they ought to
blame their own idleness, or bad government, not the industry of
their neighbours. It ought also to be considered, that, by the
encrease of industry among the neighbouring nations, the
consumption of every particular species of commodity is also
encreased; and though foreign manufactures interfere with them in
the market, the demand for their product may still continue, or
even encrease. And should it diminish, ought the consequence to
be esteemed so fatal? If the spirit of industry be preserved, it
may easily be diverted from one branch to another; and the
manufacturers of wool, for instance, be employed in linen, silk,
iron, or any other commodities, for which there appears to be a
demand. We need not apprehend, that all the objects of industry
will be exhausted, or that our manufacturers, while they remain
on an equal footing with those of our neighbours, will be in
danger of wanting employment. The emulation among rival nations
serves rather to keep industry alive in all of them: And any
people is happier who possess a variety of manufactures, than if
they enjoyed one single great manufacture, in which they are all
employed. Their situation is less precarious; and they will feel
less sensibly those revolutions and uncertainties, to which every
particular branch of commerce will always be exposed.
The only commercial state, that ought to dread the
improvements and industry of their neighbours, is such a one as
the DUTCH, who enjoying no extent of land, nor possessing any
number of native commodities, flourish only by their being the
brokers, and factors, and carriers of others. Such a people may
naturally apprehend, that, as soon as the neighbouring states
come to know and pursue their interest, they will take into their
own hands the management of their affairs, and deprive their
brokers of that profit, which they formerly reaped from it. But
though this consequence may naturally be dreaded, it is very long
before it takes place; and by art and industry it may be warded
off for many generations, if not wholly eluded. The advantage of
superior stocks and correspondence is so great, that it is not
easily overcome; and as all the transactions encrease by the
encrease of industry in the neighbouring states, even a people
whose commerce stands on this precarious basis, may at first reap
a considerable profit from the flourishing condition of their
neighbours. The DUTCH, having mortgaged all their revenues, make
not such a figure in political transactions as formerly'. but
their commerce is surely equal to what it was in the middle of
the last century, when they were reckoned among the great powers
of EUROPE.
Were our narrow and malignant politics to meet with success,
we should reduce all our neighbouring nations to the same state
of sloth and ignorance that prevails in MOROCCO and the coast of
BARBARY. But what would be the consequence? They could send us no
commodities: They could take none from us: Our domestic commerce
itself would languish for want of emulation, example, and
instruction: And we ourselves should soon fall into the same
abject condition, to which we had reduced them. I shall therefore
venture to acknowledge, that, not only as a man, but as a BRITISH
subject, I pray for the flourishing commerce of GERMANY, SPAIN,
ITALY, and even FRANCE itself. I am at least certain, that GREAT
BRITAIN, and all those nations, would flourish more, did their
sovereigns and ministers adopt such enlarged and benevolent
sentiments towards each other.